Reagan was the worst president I can remember and I can remember back to Roosevelt. He built up the military alright, at the expense of the country. The deficit increased from 2.7 in 1980 to 6% in 1983.
To cover the new federal budget deficits the U.S. borrowed at home and abroad (China). The net debt went from 700 billion to 3 trillion. The United States went from being the world's largest creditor to being it's largest debtor.
Republicans can say whatever they want, I was there and there wasn't much work for people during the late 80's. All you have to do is look for this. It is online and on record.
Reagan didn't come into office and start spending billions. Reagan's economy wasn't still bad after 2 years in office. Reagan followed Carter and he killed the economy so bad it was hard for Reagan to mess up.
But largely, Reagan's spending was on the military, which had to be built back up and which most conservatives (big and little c's) approve as being constitutional spending. And this is assuming what you have here is even true.
I cant really gove you an answer,but what I can give you is a way to a solution, that is you have to find the anglde that you relate to or peaks your interest. A good paper is one that people get drawn into because it reaches them ln some way.As for me WW11 to me, I think of the holocaust and the effect it had on the survivors, their families and those who stood by and did nothing until it was too late.